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“We think it’s totally appropriate to FOIA for funding information and conflict of interest information,” Lauren Kurtz said. “When you’re getting into research emails and candid communication, I think that’s really harmful.” She added, “Short of something where you have actual evidence of criminal fraud, I think those things should be protected.”

Executive Director Lauren Kurtz writes about how attacks on climate scientists endanger the scientific endeavor.

“These sorts of lawsuits, regardless of outcome, subtract months of labor from the scientific endeavor and cost public universities hundreds of thousands of dollars in legal fees,” CSLDF’s Lauren Kurtz said.

Executive Director Lauren Kurtz discusses CSLDF’s work protecting climate scientists and the legal challenges facing climate scientists and other researchers.

Executive Director Lauren Kurtz talks about CSLDF’s activities at the 2016 American Geophysical Union Fall Meeting and the development of our pocket guide: “Handling Political Harassment & Legal Intimidation.”

CSLDF’s Peter Fontaine talks about how scientists can protect themselves when their work comes under political fire.

CSLDF files a legal brief in support of federal climate scientists who are being sued by the conservative organization Judicial Watch.

CSLDF’s Lauren Kurtz discusses David Schnare, a key member of the Trump transition team, and his anti-science agenda.

Executive director Lauren Kurtz and climate scientist Michael Mann discuss attacks on science in the Trump era.

The fear has pushed some agency scientists to seek advice from outside sources. Lauren Kurtz, executive director at the Climate Science Legal Defense Fund, says several federal climate scientists have asked her about their legal options for speaking out. "One researcher just called to say hey, my boss has made it really hard for me to do my job. What can I do?" she said.

Other lawyers are stepping up to protect dozens of climate scientists who have been targeted by private conservative groups demanding their personal emails and other documents... The law professors who came to New York for training attended classes taught by the Climate Science Legal Defense Fund.

"People can get very dogged in attacking climate scientists, and they can do things you would never think of," Lauren Kurtz said in an interview with the HPR. She's the executive director of the Climate Science Legal Defense Fund, based out of Columbia University, which defends scientists like Hayhoe from legal attacks.